Legal Full-Time

Employee Benefits Attorney (Rochester, Buffalo, Albany - all New York)

Harter Secrest and Emery LLP • Rochester, NY

Company

Harter Secrest and Emery LLP

Annual salary

$139k – $192k/yr

Location

Rochester, NY

Listed

156d ago

Experience:: 4 to 10 years
Workplace:: Hybrid, approximately 50% in-office over the course of a year, measured on trust rather than badge swipes. Rochester, NY is strongly preferred; Buffalo and Albany are also acceptable. Remote will be considered on a case-by-case basis for an exceptional candidate, but in-person is the firm's strong preference for this hire. The firm does not regularly staff its NYC office and is not seeking candidates who require a Manhattan presence.
Visa:: Visa sponsorship not available
Equity:: No equity until partnership. HSE operates a single-tier equity partnership, there is no permanent non-equity counsel tier. The partnership track runs approximately 9, 11 years, and when an attorney is voted in, they become a full equity partner from day one with real points on the lockstep seniority schedule.

Hybrid in Rochester, NY. Visa sponsorship not available.

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What you'll do

Design, draft, and amend 401(k), pension, profit-sharing, and other qualified retirement plans for a sophisticated client base ranging from local employers to Fortune 100 and international public companies
Advise plan sponsors and fiduciary committees on day-to-day plan compliance, nondiscrimination testing, plan corrections (EPCRS/VFCP), and IRS/DOL audits
Implement SECURE Act / SECURE 2.0 changes and stay current on ongoing regulatory developments affecting plan sponsors
Collaborate closely with the firm's active corporate and capital markets groups on M&A benefits diligence, reviewing target plans, identifying liabilities, drafting reps and warranties, and handling plan integration post-closing
Counsel clients on nonqualified deferred compensation (409A), executive compensation arrangements, equity and incentive plans, and severance agreements
Engage directly with demanding institutional clients, particularly around year-end deadlines, with client-facing opportunities available for those seeking to build toward partnership
Work within a collegial, lockstep-with-accountability partnership model that structurally incentivizes cross-selling and early associate development, no eat-what-you-kill dynamics

What you need

We need someone with 4, 10 years of substantive employee benefits experience at a law firm, with a primary focus on the retirement / ERISA side, qualified plans, 401(k), pension, deferred compensation, and plan compliance counseling. You should be comfortable advising plan-sponsor employers on complex ERISA matters and have a track record of handling qualified plan design, compliance, and M&A benefits diligence. Bonus points if you bring executive compensation experience (409A, equity plans, employment agreements) or a Tax LL.M. / CPA background.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the Employee Benefits Attorney (Rochester, Buffalo, Albany - all New York) role at Harter Secrest and Emery LLP? +

Use the Apply for a referral button on this page to send us your LinkedIn and CV. If your experience fits, we'll introduce you to the recruiter filling this role. They'll email you to check you're interested, then put you forward for this job or others that suit you better. It's free.

What does this Harter Secrest and Emery LLP role pay? +

The listing gives $139k – $192k/yr.

Is this role remote? +

The listing gives the location as Rochester, NY. Hybrid, approximately 50% in-office over the course of a year, measured on trust rather than badge swipes. Rochester, NY is strongly preferred; Buffalo and Albany are also acceptable. Remote will be considered on a case-by-case basis for an exceptional candidate, but in-person is the firm's strong preference for this hire. The firm does not regularly staff its NYC office and is not seeking candidates who require a Manhattan presence. Visa sponsorship not available.